Chapter 80: A Request at the Door
Gu Xueying felt a wave of heat spread from her ears to her entire body. She wanted to struggle, but the more she resisted, the tighter his grip became.
Just when she thought she was about to suffocate, Gu Yuji suddenly let go.
With reddened eyes, Gu Xueying retorted, “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I never had any intention of provoking you.”
“Oh, really?”
Gu Xueying wanted to continue defending herself, but under Gu Yuji’s intense gaze, she swallowed her words and lowered her head, avoiding his eyes. Just as she feared he would stare a hole right through her, he suddenly chuckled, and she felt a warm sensation on her forehead.
“You little troublemaker,” he murmured. “If you want her to never return, what are you willing to offer in exchange?”
“I…” Gu Xueying wasn’t sure if he was truly willing to help her.
Gu Yuji, however, seemed in no hurry. “Take your time to think about it.”
With a gentle pull, he moved her aside.
The door opened and closed, and once again, she was alone in the room.
Even though Gu Yuji had left, the lingering scent of sandalwood still filled her nose.
She stood still for a long time before finally finding the strength to move. She glanced at the nearby walk-in closet—inside were luxurious outfits and exquisite jewelry, any one of which was worth more than what an ordinary person could earn in a lifetime.
Reaching up, she grasped the pendant hanging from her neck.
The necklace was a birthday gift from Gu Yuji, said to be handcrafted by him. The pendant depicted two long-haired figures—one with a bird perched on their head and the other with a ceramic jar.
She never understood what the design meant, chalking it up to an artist’s eccentric tastes.
She didn’t like the necklace, nor did she like Gu Yuji.
But what she feared even more was: “I refuse to live a life of poverty.”
Alone in the room, her whispered words faded into the air.
Meanwhile, Xu Youyou remained unaware of the turmoil in the Gu family. After sending Zhao Menglian away, she had expected some peace, only for an unexpected guest to arrive at her doorstep.
“Mr. Lu? You’re back from Gansu already?” Xu Youyou asked.
Lu Jingyao replied, “I followed your travel guide for five days, but I couldn’t afford to take more time off. Business waits for no one, so I had to return to Shanghai early.”
Knowing how busy he was, Xu Youyou—who had the luxury of making money through lucky finds—couldn’t help but feel a tinge of sympathy.
Lu Jingyao rarely showed up empty-handed. This time, he brought a set of the Four Treasures of the Study (brush, ink, paper, and inkstone).
Xu Youyou frowned slightly, wondering how news of her practicing calligraphy had reached Lu Jingyao. She began to suspect there was a spy in her home.
As if sensing her thoughts, Lu Jingyao explained, “I also learned calligraphy from Master Zhang. I happened to run into him downstairs, and he mentioned you, saying that although you started late, you have a natural talent. Who would’ve thought we’d end up as fellow disciples?”
He wasn’t lying—the coincidence was so absurd even he found it hard to believe.
Of course, if he didn’t own an apartment in this building, he wouldn’t have run into Master Zhang in the first place.
Xu Youyou relaxed and said, “I never used to appreciate the beauty of calligraphy, but recently I acquired a certain piece, and only then did I truly understand its charm.”
Lu Jingyao’s eyes lit up. “May I see it?”
She didn’t refuse. After all, if she ever decided to auction off Su Zong’s family letter in the future, Lu Jingyao might be one of the bidders.
“The strokes are refined and precise, the energy flows seamlessly through each character—graceful yet bold, truly a masterpiece of the ages,” Lu Jingyao praised.
Xu Youyou felt the same way, though she lacked the poetic vocabulary to articulate it as smoothly as he did.
Every time she looked at the piece, she couldn’t help but admire it. She had even tried copying it once, only to be reminded of the vast gap between her skills and the true artistry of the original.
She had handled jade, antique porcelain, and countless treasures before, all of which left her in awe, but none had ever made her feel so possessive. This calligraphy piece was the first time she truly didn’t want to sell something.
“If you ever decide to auction this piece, please let me know in advance,” Lu Jingyao requested, fearing he might miss the opportunity.
Xu Youyou nodded. “Of course.”
Though she loved the artwork dearly, she was ultimately a practical person. No matter how many zeroes were in her bank account, it never felt like enough.
“I actually came here today with a favor to ask,” Lu Jingyao said suddenly. “My assistant, who usually accompanies me to events, is on leave. I haven’t been able to find a suitable replacement, so I was hoping you could do me a favor and attend a banquet with me tomorrow night.”
Xu Youyou gave him a skeptical look. She much preferred staying home over mingling at high-society gatherings, especially since her past experiences with them hadn’t been particularly pleasant.
“You’re in Shanghai, not overseas. You can’t possibly be short on female companions.”
Lu Jingyao lowered his head slightly, following his assistant Liu’s advice, and spoke with just a hint of vulnerability: “Other than you, I don’t have many female friends. Maybe this is too presumptuous of me… Perhaps you don’t even consider me a friend.”
Xu Youyou: …
She swore she could smell the faint aroma of tea in the air.
But in business, using personal relationships to secure deals was perfectly normal. Since Lu Jingyao was a major client and had even helped her fend off those Japanese buyers in the past, refusing him now would seem unreasonably cold-hearted.
“Well, since you put it that way, how could I say no?” she said politely.
She noticed Lu Jingyao’s eyes brighten at her agreement.
“I don’t even know how to thank you,” he said. He then left promptly without pushing his luck by inviting her to dinner.
The next morning, as soon as Xu Youyou woke up, her housekeeper, Aunt Zhang, smiled and said, “Miss, Mr. Lu arranged for a styling team to come over for tonight’s banquet. They arrived early, but he specifically instructed them to serve only you for the entire day, so there’s no rush.”
Xu Youyou nodded casually. “Make sure they’re well taken care of.”
“Of course. But I have to say, Mr. Lu really values you,” Aunt Zhang remarked.
She couldn’t help but hope the two would end up together—they looked like such a perfect match.
Xu Youyou, however, shook her head. “He doesn’t value me—he values this banquet.”
Her mind drifted to a high-profile event she had attended abroad. The deal Lu’s corporation secured that night had reportedly been their most significant transaction in three years.
She remained convinced that Lu Jingyao was, at his core, a businessman—just one who was particularly generous with his spending.
She enjoyed luxury as much as anyone, but she constantly reminded herself: I can afford these things myself. I must never let material wealth cloud my judgment.
After breakfast, she finally met the styling team. But as soon as she heard their introduction, she was taken aback.
“Lan Yu Studio?”
The chief stylist, Xi Yu, smiled. “Miss Xu, have you heard of us? What an honor.”
Lan Yu Studio was one of the top styling teams in the country, notoriously difficult to book. Xu Youyou wouldn’t have known about them, except that in her previous life, Gu Xueying had tried to hire them for her wedding—only to be rejected.
Gu Xueying had been furious for days, until her fiancé finally spent a fortune to fly in a team from overseas.
Xu Youyou never imagined she’d encounter this prestigious team for a single banquet.
Her suspicions deepened: This event must be incredibly important.
